Titans
The Titans The Scarred Lands are the domain of the gods who defeated their titan parents in the cataclysmic Divine War one hundred and fifty years ago. Before that time, it was the titans who commanded the world of Scarn. For the first time ever, presented here is a list of twelve titans that the alliance of the gods and the titan Denev overthrew, destroying much of Scarn in the process. Many of the various races created by the titans survived the Divine War and still populate the Scarred Lands. Whether they are pockets of brigands, remote remnants of shattered civilizations, or sovereign nations still contesting the people of the gods for supremacy, the titans' races have not walked meekly into oblivion. Many carve out power in the new world, drawing on what latent vitality they can from their fallen masters. Other titan-created races seek to resurrect their fallen lords and rule the world at their side. Many of the titans are listed here. Chern ' (''CHURN) of the Scourge, of the Last Great Sickness and Suffering The Flourishing Flats was a broad, fertile plain between two great rivers that ran from the Kelder Mountains to what is now the Blood Sea. It is said this very plain is where the gods gave birth to man. Though the nation of Vesh yet exists here, much of the territory has transformed into the Mourning Marches. This is a result of the contaminated and festering corpse of Chern, said to be interred here after his defeat on Termana -- but not before this vile monster unleashed a curse of disease that has haunted the lands ever since. Chern created a fair number of vermin and vermin-type humanoid races, as well as many of the magical diseases found in the Scarred Lands. The Order of the Morning Sky (see ''Morgaunt ''in "Creature Collection") makes a point of battling Chern's races and influences. '''Gaurak (GAH-rock) the Glutton, the Voracious One A hideously obese and always ravenous titan, Gaurak is said to have devoured all the life from the once verdant moon. After his defeat, the gods pulled out every last one of Gaurak's hundred teeth before burying him deep in the earth. His fallen teeth are said to have taken the form of mountains, colossal obelisks, and even trees, always tainting the land near them. Gaurak created servitor races whose main purpose was either to breed and become food for Gaurak or to hunt and gather food for the titan to eat. His titanspawn races therefore run the gamut of aberrations created to breed and bloat themselves, to more intelligent races meant to be supreme predators or harvesters. His races are particularly hated by druids, for Gaurak's spawn often overhunt natural areas, stripping the area clean of all edible forms. Golthain (GALL-thane) the Faceless He is recalled fondly by the gods, who nevertheless sundered and imprisoned him lest he later seek revenge. He is remembered by the titanspawn as a weakling, singular among the titans in the hint of compassion he seemed to feel for the life he and his kind created. The other titans, of course, mocked him for this, and as punishment for this obvious weakness they stripped him of his senses so he could neither enjoy what was created nor detect how badly the other titans treated these creations. Golthain created few races himself, more often influencing the development of other races. He did create some servitors to attend him in place of his lost senses, as well as some races of giant-kind. Golthagga (gall-THAH-ga) of the Forge, the Shaper This misshapen brute cared little for the living, but at least that disinterest meant he did not direct much ill towards the struggling life forms of Scarn. Instead, Golthagga was more intrigued by what he might construct with the material his fellow titans created. Even during the war, Golthagga kept to his forge... and when Corean slew him, he died upon it as well. Now, his essence is dispersed bit by bit into his myriad creations. Golthagga created many aberrant versions of other humanoids, animals, and beasts. His creations were mainly larger, more hideous, metallic versions of the life forms his brethren created. Golthagga sometimes used other creatures as models for his own creations, and sometimes took these other creatures and reshaped them on his forge. Gormoth (GORE-moth) The Writhing Lord The first of the titans to create a humanoid race, this titan spent centuries in pain and solitude after his sister Mormo poisoned him. Upon his recovery, Gormoth turned his spite and hate upon the world. Where his brethren often destroyed and created on a grand scale, this titan was content to make playthings of individuals, many of whom were forced to attend him and ease the pain that would sometimes still wrack his great frame. His pain is immense to this day, for he was split from skull to crotch by the gods Vangal and Chardun and each half placed on opposite sides of a great chasm. The flailing halves forever struggle to reunite. Gormoth created few creatures after the Viren (see ''Abandoned ''in "Creature Collection"). Gulaben (goo-LAH-bin) Lady of the Winds of Madness The most difficult of all the titans to defeat was the Lady of Winds. Like the wind, her presence was felt but she went unseen. Finally, the gods granted their most powerful priests the knowledge of a great ritual that would bind a foe. The catch: Gulaben's location remains unknown. Gulaben has created all manner of aerial aberrations, and some aerial humanoid races. She also created wind spirits, akin to air elementals but even less corporeal, that would deliver the titan's favor or disfavor depending on the nature of the spirit. Hrinruuk (he-RIN-rook) the Hunter Perhaps undetectable even by the gods themselves, the Hunter stalked and slew Miridum, the goddess of lore and the daughter of Hedrada, soon after Mesos was dispersed. The sly and dangerous titan would have taken down Hedrada himself but for the intervention of Corean. Hedrada is now said to have the still-living head of the Hunter, whose indiscernible body fruitlessly searches for it. Hrinruuk created many of the most lethal monstrosities to ever walk Scarn. Discontented with the ease of hunting any normal creature, and too infrequently getting to hunt down an errant godling in the days before the Divine War, Hrinruuk resorted to creating many monstrosities which would provide him some level of challenge to hunt across the planes of existence. Hrinruuk's spawn often have means of cloaking themselves and their trails, and they can travel quickly -- even via teleportation and plane shifting -- and are terrible opponents if confronted. Kadum (KAH-doom) the Mountainshaker, the Bleeding One This great beast would uproot entire mountains when enraged, but his strength alone could not save him. Belsameth cut his heart from him, and Chardun chained him to a rock, which Vangal in turn sank to the bottom of the deepest ocean chasm. To this day, the deepest waters of the Scarred Lands run red with the Bleeding One's ichor. It is said that whole new races of horrific merfolk, krakens, and other fell sea monsters have arisen from exposure to Kadum's blood. The creatures-turned-aberrations that haunt the Blood Sea are a result of Kadum's blood infecting those waters. Before Kadum's defeat, the Mountainshaker created several monstrous giant-kin whose quickness to rage mirrors their creator's. Lethene (lay-THEEN) Dame of Storms, the Untamed One Many godlings fell before the fury of Lethene during the Divine War, although the casualties cannot be tallied, for the Dame of Storms annihilated these gods' worshippers as well. But in the end Lethene was tamed -- though no one seems to know exactly how. The elves and dwarves who lived through the Divine War simply recall a day, perhaps a moment, when the gods concentrated their powers to still the tumultuous world... and suddenly Lethene was no more. Lethene created a small number of spirit creatures, but few other creatures. Mesos (MAY-zohz) Sire of Sorcery, the Disrupted The destruction of Mesos was probably the key event that allowed the gods to win the Divine War. Without a doubt, it was the signal event for the beginning of the colossal struggle. This titan literally seethed with magical energies unbelievable even to the gods, and while several among them surely coveted this power, they all agreed the titan must be dispatched. An ambush was prepared. With the assistance of the greatest archmages, whose spells cancelled some minute portion of the titan's power, the gods disintegrated Mesos in an explosion that flung his constituent parts to every corner of existence. Mesos created some of the most deadly and mysterious of the titanspawn humanoid races. Some monstrous, some beautiful, some giant, some tiny, but all imbued with magical powers, and all vengeful against those who conspired to sunder their creator. Some sages believe Mesos was the most likely creator of the now extinct slarecians. Mormo (MORE-moh) Mother of Serpents, Queen of Witches This gruesome crone was the patron of all witches and hags and was responsible for the creation of serpentine races such as the medusae. Her spilled blood has turned the Hornsaw Forest into the homeland of mutated terrors that it is today. Some say her followers seek to recover the pieces of the Serpent Mother that were strewn across the Scarred Lands. They hope to bring these grisly trophies together so that Mormo may be reborn. Mormo was perhaps the most prolific creator of life forms, from Hags to Gorgons to dozens of other races, many of whom she neglected as soon as they were fashioned. Second only to Mesos' spawn, Mormo's creations often wield sorcerous or druidic power. Now Mormo's blood taints areas like the Hornsaw, creating monstrosities from normal beasts at a rate at which the Mother of Serpents rarely worked when she was whole. Thulkas (thool-KAHS) Father of Fire, the Iron God Where the powerful Kadum was unstoppable, the impregnable Thulkas was unmovable, for he was said to be an extension of the very earth -- and this only if he could be touched at all, for he burned with the heat of a thousand suns. Even Corean could not move this beast, but he could bend him, so he pressed the Iron God upon the forge of Golthagga and hammered the titan into the form of an arrow. Tanil then drew back her great bow and fired that arrow into the sun itself. Thulkas still dwells therein, still an unmovable form. Thulkas created life forms more by consequence than by design. When natural phenomenon would interact with his fiery body, often life forms were created by the interplay of forces. Most of the creature races spawned off Thulkas have affinities for the earth and fire, and are very resilient, especially when in contact with these elements. In addition, many of the goblin races were influenced by Thulkas in their final development